Travels With Bella Figura USA

All Things Italian: An Authentic Carbonara Sauce

OK, I've got Italy on the brain these days.  And what's the one thing that everyone can agree on when it comes to "favorite Italian things?"  FOOD!

Here's a video with Chef Rick Stein making authentic carbonara sauce. 

And here's the thing: it's easy!  Nothing complicated about it.  So, watch, enjoy, and cheers to your wonderful dinner of Spaghetti alla Carbonara!

Bella Tuscany - The Fonteverde Spa

I'm thinking all things Italian these days, as my next trip to beautiful Italia is now just weeks away.

Well, I was blown away by this HippyGourmet video I found on YouTube.  I've been all over this area of Tuscany, but somehow missed the Fonteverde Spa Resort (part of The Leading Hotels of the World collection.)

Oh my - this place is incredible.  As in, go buy a plane ticket NOW.  Located south of Siena, it's known for its pools: hydrotherapy pools, thermal pools, Etruscan baths...  Heaven in water.

Plus, they have the usual (and not so usual) spa treatments, and an organic gourmet kitchen that will cater to your dietary wishes.

But it's the water - and the heavenly view - that will have you calling your travel agent. 

 

And be sure and checkout the websites for HippyGourmet and Fonteverde Spa.

Chef Lidia Bastianich: A $5 Meal in 5 Minutes - Yum!

The Daily News put out the challenge: make a meal that only costs $5, and only takes 5 minutes.  Gotta love it!

And here we have our favorite Italian chef, Lidia Bastianich, taking the challenge.  Oh, we love Lidia.  (Did you see the video with Lidia and Mo Rocca?  Entertaining as all get out!)

So for your pleasure, and your taste buds: Lidia preparing an amazaing frittata sandwich.

Enjoy:

In the Kitchen With Lidia & Mo!

I wrote some time back about a fabulous cruise in which the star attraction will be Chef Lidia Bastianich (along with fabulous ports of call, fabulous food and wine, fabulous shopping opportunities - you get the picture.)  Well, the cruise is not too far off now, and I'm getting very excited about getting the hell heck out of Dodge and learning some wonderful cooking secrets.

So, I was delighted to find this little video: the supremely hilarious Mo Rocca has Lidia over to teach him how to cook his grandmother's ravioli.

It's a stitch to watch the two of them together, and as usual, she makes everything look so easy.

Enjoy:

Anthony Bourdain & Friends at the French Laundry

Ever had a died and gone to heaven dining experience?

I saw this segment of No Reservations some time ago and  felt like I'd died and gone to heaven just watching it.  Our favorite chef/raconteur Anthony Bourdain, takes his friends Eric Ripert (oh yeah, LOVE Le Bernardin in NYC) Michael Ruhlman and Scott Bryan (Veritas in NYC)  to  Thomas Keller's fabulous The French Laundry - one of the few honest to goodness destination restaurants in the country.

All four get a different tasting menu of twenty courses - that's right, not a typo - twenty unbelievable how did he come up with this courses!

And at one point, Tony remarks that they've been eating for three hours, have downed seven bottles of wine, and still have a number of courses to go.  Yeah - died and gone to heaven! 

Enjoy:

Love the Vino! A Guide to Tasting the Grape

Yes, we love the grape here at Travels.  We even have a Fine Wines category; after all, what's fine living without a really good glass of wine occasionally?  (or every night?)

But we're always distressed when we hear anyone say they feel intimidated by wine.  Oh no - that's simply not the way it should be.  Wine should be all about pleasure - not stress.

So, if anyone's feeling a bit wary, here's a short video - a little primer on wine tasting.

And all we have to add to that is: CHEERS!

Need a Little Inspiration? Watch This Video

Yesterday I asked the question:  What inspires you?  And my answer was "travel."  (One of a number of things that inspire me.)

Then a friend sent me this video - all about a Delta flight attendant and a little "art project" she started on her flights.  Well, the art project has grown into something very special - and very inspiring.

See for yourself:

But now the update:  the art has been taken to Delta headquarters, and Delta exec's are going to choose a handful of pictures that they like the best.  These, in turn, will be auctioned off for charity.

So, one woman's experiment to add some lightness and joy into her passengers' lives, is now blossoming into an endeavor that will enrich other lives.

Inspirational, indeed.

When Life is Getting You Down, What Feeds Your Soul?

What inspires you - what feeds your soul? 

I don't have just one answer for that question, nor do you, I presume.  But the one thing I will focus on today - one thing that definitely inspires me - is travel.

Travel inspires me in every area of my life: from the way I design my home and gardens, to the way I dress, the accessories I wear, the food I cook, all the way to my outlook on the world - political and otherwise.

And while I hate to admit it, when I haven't traveled in awhile (like right now) I find myself getting cranky - and bored - with everything.  Ennui (I love that word) settles in.  I'm restless, irritated, dissatisfied with most everything.  And yes, that includes my work and everyday life.

A character flaw, perhaps?  I don't know.  But I do know this, nothing delights me more than being in a new place with a culture, language and customs that are different from my own, or returning to a place that I fell for on the first visit.

And with that on my mind, here's a YouTube video of the fascinating city of Istanbul.  I've written about Istanbul before, and posted my own photos, plus photos internet friends have sent in.  Yes, it seems that everyone that goes there, falls in love.  It's one of those places that charms and captivates.

And this is one of the best videos I've seen yet.  So, as we go into the weekend, I give you a little armchair travel: go inside and watch the goldsmiths at the Grand Bazaar, visit the fabulous Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia, see the spectacular Topkapi Palace.  Visit the city that is both modern and ancient - beautiful Istanbul.  (I'm feeling less cranky already, just watching!)

Olive Oil Cake - Living La Dolce Vita!

There's an Italian restaurant close to my neighborhood - just a little pocket of a place - with lovely food and good Chianti.  The last time I was there the menu had a new dessert listed: olive oil cake.

Now, I'd heard of olive oil cake before, but never tried it.  So naturally, I decided olive oil cake would be  my choice.

What an excellent decision!  Not just delicious, but the most luscious, velvety texture.  Heaven in a slice.

So, I was delighted to open this month's issue of Veranda magazine and find a recipe for olive oil cake.  It's simple as can be, and tasty as can be.  From Chef Oliver Ridgeway, who's now feeding very lucky diners at the Anasazi Restaurant (located in the boutique hotel - Rosewood Inn of the Anasazi) in Santa Fe .

Chef's Ridgeway's Citrus-Olive Oil Cake

Ingredients:
vegetable oil
1 1/2 C all purpose flour
2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
1 C sugar
3 large eggs
2 t orange zest
2 t lemon zest
1/4 C whole milk
3/4 C extra-virgin olive oil
2/3 C sliced almonds, toasted and crumbled
powdered sugar for sifting

Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Lightly oil an 8" diameter cake pan.
In medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
In large bowl using electric mixer, beat sugar, eggs and orange and lemon zests together until mixture is pale and fluffy.  Beat in milk.  Gradually beat in olive oil.
Add flour mixture and stir just until blended.  Stir in almonds.

Pour batter into cake pan and place on baking sheet to catch spills.  Bake until tester comes out with moist crumbs attached, about 35 minutes.
Transfer cake pan to rack and cool 15 minutes.  Remove cake from pan and place on serving dish, top side up.  Sift powdered sugar on top.

Enjoy!  And serve this to your family and friends - they'll think you're the most brilliant cook ever!

Julia Child Cooks the Perfect Omelette

Time and time again I've heard professional chefs say that anyone who cooks needs to know how to make a proper omelette.  It's like Cooking 101.

And I love a great omelette.  In fact, one of my favorite lunches consisted of a perfectly cooked mushroom omelette, a lovely green salad, and an uber-chilled glass of chablis.  Bliss!  Of course, it didn't hurt matters that this simple lunch took place in a little French bistro around the corner from the Musee d'Orsay.  But still - the food was spectacular.

And who better to teach us to make a perfect omelette than an icon of the kitchen: the later, great Julia Child.  Of course, the news is full of Julia these days, what with the new movie - Julie & Julia.

But forget the movie; I remember watching her cooking shows.  Oh, she was fun!  Not just a good teacher, but so entertaining and funny.  I don't know if she realized how funny she was.  And as much as I enjoy some of the current cooking shows, they can't hold a candle to Julia.

So, to take us into the weekend, a lovely video of the lovely Julia instructing us on omelette making.

Enjoy: